Sen. Bob Corker Writes Obama on Iran Deal and UN Sanctions

Sen. Bob Corker has written President Barack Obama expressing concerns that the administration is in talks with the U.N. to remove sanctions against Iran while claiming that Congress has no authority to ratify any nuclear deal.

"Enabling the United Nations to consider an agreement or portions of it, while simultaneously threatening to veto legislation that would enable Congress to do the same, is a direct affront to the American people and seeks to undermine Congress’ appropriate role," the Tennessee Republican wrote on Thursday. "Please advise us as to whether you are considering going to the United Nations Security Council without coming to Congress first."

Corker, 62, who has been in Washington since 2007, is a chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. His letter was first reported Friday by The Washington Post.

The senator was not among the 47 Republicans who signed a letter spearheaded by Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton to Tehran warning that no future president or Congress could be legally bound to such an agreement.

"I didn't think it was going to further our efforts to get to a place where Congress would play the appropriate role that it should on Iran," he told The Daily Beast. "I did not think that the letter was something that was going to help get us to an outcome that we're all seeking, and that is Congress playing that appropriate role."

Corker and New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, have sponsored legislation to require Congress to review a proposed deal with Iran before it could be approved.

The senator's letter came amid reports world powers were negotiating with the United Nations Security Council to lift U.N. sanctions on Iran if a nuclear agreement is struck. The move could make it tougher for Congress to undo a deal.

Secretary of State John Kerry told Corker's panel on Wednesday that any nuclear deal with Iran would not be legally binding, meaning future U.S. presidents could decide not to implement it.

The Cotton letter asserted that any deal with Iranian leaders could be discarded once President Obama leaves office in January 2017.

A Security Council resolution on a nuclear deal with Iran could be legally binding, however, and that could complicate — if not undercut — future attempts by Republicans to unravel an agreement.

The United States and the other five powers are aiming to complete the framework of a nuclear deal with Iran by the end of March, and achieve a full agreement by June 30.

An agreement would seek to curb Iran's most sensitive nuclear activities for at least 10 years in exchange for a gradual end to all sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Sen. Bob Corker has written President Barack Obama expressing concerns that the administration is in talks with the U.N. to remove sanctions against Iran while claiming that Congress has no authority to ratify any nuclear deal.